Diazo type reproducing apparatus



1962 c. A. ACKERMANN 3,060,828

DIAZO TYPE REPRODUCING APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CARL A- ACKERMANN ENTOR Z/u Wa /i l; FIG! QMMW ATTORNEY Oct. 30, 1962 c. A. ACKERMANN DIAZO TYPE REPRODUCING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1960 CARL A. ACKERMANN INVENTOR FIG. 3

ATTORNEY Get. 30, 1962 c. A.IACKERMANN DIAZO TYPE REPRODUCING APPARATUS 5 SheetsSheet 3 Filed June 13, 1960 Him.

CARL AACKERMANN INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent ice 3,060,828 DIAZO TYPE REPRODUCING APPARATUS Carl A. Ackermann, Brackney, Pa., assignor to General Aniline & Film Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 13, 1960, Ser. No. 35,598 2 Claims. (Cl. 95-77.5)

This invention relates to diazo type printing and developing'apparatus and most particularly to improvements useful in the processing of continuous length sensitized materials.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a compact diazo type printing and developing apparatus in which a continuous length of sensitized material and original in roll form may be processed.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in combination with a power driven diazo type printing apparatus for feeding continuous yardage of sensitized material from storage spools onto take-up spools during processing.

It is a particular feature of .the invention that the apparatus constructed in accordance therewith may be completely enclosed in a cabinet including the holders of the supply and take-up spools.

It is another feature of the invention that the holders for the rolls of sensitized material and original to be copied are so constructed as to permit quick and easy loading of the machine and accommodate various lengths of material and cores of spools.

Other object and features will be apparent from the following description of the invention, pointed out in particularity in the appended claims and taken into connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as it appears in the cabinet with the front cover closed.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view in perspective of the apparatus with the front cover fully opened.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational View in section of the apparatus with the cover closed.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view partially in section of one of the spool holder shafts.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view partially in section of the storage spool holder shaft.

FIGURE 6 is a similar View of the driven shaft of the take-up spool holder.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic sectional view of the main component elements of the apparatus and,

' FIGURE 8 is a perspective View of the spool cores generally used for the rolls of sensitized material or translucent original to be copied.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 simply illustrates the appearance of the printing apparatus placed in a cabinet 10 with the front cover 11 closed so that all moving parts are hid-den and protected. In certain applications in which this apparatus is particularly useful, films of the size used in aerial photography may be processed and such films may be left in the machine when it is not in use. For this reason, the cover is equipped with a lock mechanism 13 so that it cannot be opened by unauthorized persons.

When the cover 1-1 is opened as seen in FIGURE 2 it extends downwardly to form a continuation of the front of the machine. For this purpose, hinges 14 and 14 are so constructed as to permit 180 rotation of the cover '11. It is to be noted also that the cover 11 has a dust shield 15 around the edges thereof so that when it is closed it will protect the sensitized material from dust particles which are injurious to the emulsion coating thereof.

While the invention is particularly concerned with the means for processing continuous length of sensitized material including the support and storage of the rolls, refer- 3,060,828 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 ence will be had first to FIGURE 7 so as to obtain an understanding of the main operative components of the machine.

The apparatus consists essentially of a printing cylinder 17 generally made of transparent glass and arranged in suitable bearings so as to be rotated. Inside the cylinder is a light source 18 in the form of an elongated high pressure mercury arc tube which supplies the proper spectral energy for the exposure of the diazo type material. Conventional deflector plates 19 may be advantageously placed along the length of the cylinder so as to absorb adverse components of the radiation and guide the light energy received from the tube into substantially parallel rays. The printing cylinder 18 is friction driven by endless belts 21 placed around strategically located rollers 22, 23, 24 and 25.

Above the printing cylinder 17 is the print separator 27 which consists of a vacuum chamber having a perforated side 28 facing the conveyor belts 21. The latter consist of several belts of narrow widths placed side by side having perforations to allow air to enter due to the suction created in the separator 27. In this manner, when individual sheets of sensitized material are processed through the machine, the print material adheres to the belt 21 and is thereby conveyed to the developing portion of the machine. The original, on the other hand, follows the separator assembly consisting of a porous conveyor belt 30, which passes over the cylinder 31 being guided by rollers 3-2 and 33. The cylinder 31 is also under negative pressure as the chamber 27 so that the original facing the belt 30 is constrained to follow the curvature of the cylinder 31 and thereby becomes separated from the print material. In continuous yardage operation to which this invention is particularly directed, it is not necessary to utilize air separation between the original and the print material inasmuch as both are individually wound on power driven take-up spools and are thereby physically separated.

Following the path of the sensitized material, after exposure it passes over the rollers 25 and 24, between another conveyor belt system consisting of the endless chain belt 35, which runs over rollers .36 and 37, and the belt 21. In the space between these rollers is the developing tank 39, inside of which is an evaporator tray 40. It consists of a heated trough so that developing liquid, generally aqueous ammonia, fed from the tank 42 over the pipe 43 is evaporated into a gaseous medium suitable for the development of diazo materials. The

rear wall 45 of the tank 39 is perforated which permits the gas generated therewithin to exude and being diffused by the chain belt 35 contact the print material as it passes over the perforated wall guided by the sealing sleeve 46. The latter is carried by means of the rollers 47 and 48 past the perforated wall 45, and in tight engagement thereof, so as to prevent the escape of the developing gas. :By the use of the chain belt 35 moving in contact and over the wall 45 of the developing tank, the sensitized material is conveyed without contacting the stationary wall 45, thereby possible scratching of the sensitized surface is prevented. This feature is disclosed in US. Patent 2,515,144.

As seen in this figure, the apparatus is in the stage of processing a continuous length of sensitized and origmal copy material. The original 50 is taken from the supply roll 51 and the sensitized material 52 from the supply roll 53. By virtue of the placement of these rolls, the original 50 lays over the sensitized'rnaterial 52 in close contact therewith and passes over the printing cylinder 17. After passing the printing portion, the original 50 is wound onto the take-up spool 55, whereas the exposed sensitized material is conveyed between the belts 21 and 35 and guided by the deflector plate 38 between belts 35 and 46, past the perforated wall 45 3 of the developing tank 39 and thereafter is wound onto the take-up spool 57.

The various component elements described in connection with FIGURE 7 are mounted into a housing or cabinet N, which completely encloses the operating parts. The front of the cabinet gives access to the infeed and the outfeed portions of the machine and also to the various controls which are needed for its operation. The cover 11, as mentioned before, is so hinged at 14 that it can be completely opened and forms a continuation of the front of the machine. It is so dimensioned as to afford suflicient depth to serve as a support for the supply and take-up roll holding devices.

As seen in FIGURE 2, attached to the cabinet at the outfeed opening of the machine is the take-up roll holder 60 which consists of two parts. On the left side is the shaft portion 62, which is a retracting pin type support and is illustrated in detail in FIGURE 4. It consists of a tapered shaft 63 mounted on two ball bearings 64 and 65. A spring 66 surrounds the shaft 63 and this assembly is mounted in a housing 67. The other end of the shaft 63 terminates in a disc shaped knob 69 retained by the split ring 70. By grasping the knob 69 and pulling it in an axial direction, the shaft 63 may be retracted. The outer race of the bearing 64 slides in the housing 67, whereas the shaft 63 slides in the inner race of the bearing 65. Upon release, the spring 66, acting against the faces of the bearings 64 and 65, forces the bearing 64 to slide so as to return the shaft 63 to its original position.

The take-up roll holder 60 is similarly constructed and is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 6. It consists of a shaft 72 which has a tapered section and also a driving key 73 aflixed thereto. It is mounted on ball bearings 74 and 75, separated by a spacer 76 and retained by split ring 77. This assembly is encased in a a housing '78. A sprocket 79 is mounted to rotate freely on the shaft 72 between friction discs 81 and 82, which are keyed to the shaft 72. The friction coupling may be adjusted by tensioning of the spring 83 effected by the threaded knob 84. Both portions of the take-up roll holder 60 and 62 are mounted by means of brackets 85 and 86 respectively onto the face plate of the machine. The bracket 85 is adjustable to slide towards, or away, from the bracket 86, thereby to determine the distance between the shafts 63 and 72. As seen in FIGURE 3, the bracket 85 has a base 88 slidable in a U-shaped channel frame 89 attached to the machine. The base 88 may be tightened against the channel frame 89 by the bolt 9t].

The above described construction referred to the take up spool holders for the exposed and processed sensitized material. The take-up spool holders forthe original are identical in construction and are so indicated by reference characters bearing primary indices. These are mounted near the separator portion of the machine, where belts 21 and 30 separate into different directions. Both shafts 72 and 72' are driven by means of their sprockets 79 and 79 respectively by means of the chain 91 and motor 92. The latter is also used as the power drive for all the other component parts shown in FIGURE 7. This is accomplished by a conventional chain and sprocket arrangement not illustrated here.

The storage spool assembly is mounted in the cover 11 below the infeed portion of the machine. It consists of the offset brackets 93 and 94 for the storage spool of the sensitized material and similar brackets 95 and 96 for the spool of the original to be processed. These brackets are similar in construction to those described in connection with the take-up spool holders; namely, 85 and 86 and need not be described further. The supporting shaft portions located on the left-hand side; namely, 97 and 97' are also similar in construction to the holders 62 and 62' described in detail in connection with FIG- URE 4. The shafts 97 and 97' may be retracted allow 4 ing the insertion of a spool 10!) of the type shown in FIGURE 8.

The spool supports 99 and 99' located at the right-; hand side are similar to the take-up spool holders 60- and 60' except that these are not power driven.

A detailed view thereof in FIGURE 5 shows that shaft- 101 has a tapered portion to which is afiixed a driving key 102 for the engagement with the key slot 103 in the spool 100. Ball bearings 104 and 105, separated by the spacer 106 and retained by the split ring 107, journal the shaft 161 in the housing 108.

The rotation of the shaft 101 is impeded by the friction disc 1 1i) attached to it by the key 111 with a loose fit, allowing the shaft to slide in a longitudinal direction acted upon by the spring 112, the tension of which is adjustable by the threaded knob 113. A fixed cupshaped annular member is held on the housing by the set-screw 115 and has a friction disc 1 16 cemented to the inner face thereof to provide friction surface for the disc 110.

The loading of the machine with the continuous length original and sensitized material is very simple. The spool holders 93 and 94 are moved to accept the spool on which a roll of the sensitized material is wound and this material is fed over the infeed. roller 20 and the table 26 until retained by the conveyor belts 21. In a similar manner, a roll of the original on a spool of the type shown in FIGURE 8, is loaded between the holder 99 and this is placed over the sensitized material on the infeed table 26 until engaged by the belts 21. As the machine operates, both the original and the sensitized material are driven over the printing cylinder 17 and progress until the separator assembly 27 is reached. Here the original will continue its path over roll 24 into the machine to be passed around the developing tank 39. The original, on the other hand, will be deflected around the roller 31 by the belts 30 and 21 so that the outcoming end may be wound on an empty spool placed in the roll holder 60' and 62'. As the apparatus continues to function, the original will be wound by the power drive onto the spool so placed. The sensitized material has a longer path to follow and will emerge after development over the outfeed portion of the machine so that it may similarly be wound onto a spool placed between the holders 60 and 62. Any further operation of the machine will simply process the yardage and wind both the original and the copy so produced onto the take-up spools. By virtue of the friction coupling at the take-up end, the material will be maintained in smooth and tensioned condition as it is wound onto the spools. Similarly, by virtue of the friction coupling at the storage rolls, no sagging shall be experienced in either the original or the sensitized material.

It is to be noted, as seen in FIGURE 3, that when the cover 11 is closed, the take-up spool holders 60' and 62 fit between the storage spool holders 99 and 99'. The distance between these may be so dimensioned as to allow for the diameter of the roll and permit the cover to be closed at any time while the machine is still loaded with material. However, this construction does not intend to permit operation of the machine when the cover is closed.

I claim:

1. In a diazo type printing and developing apparatus utilizing as component elements, a translucent printing cylinder rotatable around an elongated light source axialiy disposed therein, said light source having radiation deflecting elements so spaced and dimensioned as to absorb adverse components of the radiation, said apparatus including between infeed and outfeed openings a developing chamber wherein a gaseous medium is generated for development of the exposed sensitized material, power driven conveyor belts for passing the sensitized material in contact with the original to be printed around said cylinder and past said developing chamber, and means for separating said original from the sensitized material; the

5 improvement which comprises a cabinet housing said component elements, a front cover hingedly supported at the base of said cabinet and having side walls adapted when closed to enclose said openings and the exposed parts of said components, a pair of adjacently placed support means attached to the inner side of said cover one of which is adapted to hold a spool of sensitized material and the other a spool of the original to be printed, a first takeup spool holder attached to said cabinet and located adjacent to said separating means and a second take-up spool holder attached to said cabinet and located adjacent to said outfeed opening, both said take-up spool holders being driven by said power drive.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support means attached to the inner side of said cover are so positioned and spaced apart as to accommodate between them said first take-up spool holder located adjacent said separating means whereby said cover may be closed with the sensitized material and the original in place on said spools.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,651,441 Caps Dec. 6, 1927 2,394,817 Sonne Feb. 12, 1946 2,943,554 Kastner July 5, 1960 

